“We’re disappointed with the way we’ve finished the season because we’ve been on a particularly bad run, but the most important thing is staying in this division.

“I don’t want us to dwell on what’s happened this season, we’ve got to look forward and put things right next season.

“We don’t want to make excuses for why we’ve fallen away because we’re all in this together and we’ve got to pull together for next season.

“Football throws a lot of different things at you during the course of a season and we’ve had to deal with those problems.”

The Reds were beaten 3-1 at Hull City at the KC Stadium on Tuesday night, but with fellow struggles Coventry City beaten 1-0 at home to Millwall their Championship safety was mathematically secured.

Keith Hill’s team are now seven points clear of the relegation places with two fixtures to play, at Bristol City on Saturday and then at home to Brighton on the last day of the season seven days later.

“We’ve just got to out and play with no fear in those games,” stressed Rowing. “It would be great if we could finish the season strongly.”